


Blue Lights

by Junipei



Category: Transformers Animated (2007), Transformers: Prime
Genre: 2019 is the year we bully Sentinel to death, Insecticon!Shockwave, M/M, Might turn spicy, Mothwave, Mysteries to be solved, Non-canon Compliant AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prowl is a bit of a dick but he gets better, Secret Relationship, The Dinobots are good boys, Upgraded Sari, eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-01-23 08:37:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18546184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Junipei/pseuds/Junipei
Summary: Nobody knows how or why, but an ancient race of Cybertronians long thought extinct has begun appearing on Earth, wreaking chaos and havoc where they go. The Autobots are stretched to their limits as they fight to contain these ancient foes, who want little but their own primal instincts fulfilled.It just so happens that Bumblebee found, and fell in love, with one of them.(Read the notes at the beginning otherwise this AU is going to stump you right in the kneecaps.)





	1. You May Find...

**Author's Note:**

> Just a few points about the setting, because I couldn't find a way to include them in without being a mile-long paragraph of jammed in exposition.
> 
> > Set in a twilight zone of Seasons 2 & 3, not between any episode, not based on any episode.  
> > Shockwave isn't a Decepticon, meaning Autoboot Camp and many other hundreds of things didn't happen as a result.  
> > The Cons haven't tried building a spacebridge, their current goal is just getting shards and whatever else looks like it could be an advantage, the Autobots however have built a spacebridge and the Cons are very upset that they can't use it.  
> > Sari is upgraded, however the key still has charge in it, which they use to find Allspark shards, she found out she's a protoform all the way back in Season 1.  
> > Professor Sumdac wasn't kidnapped but he’s on thin fucking ice.  
> > The Dinobots are good boys and have moved into the base to live with the Autobots so they can get chicken nuggets from the source.  
> > Prowl is not upgraded and he's a little bit of a bastard.

 

 

_‘ **PROOOWL!** ’_

 

Prowl didn't flinch, continuing to meditate in his room, even as Bumblebee screeched and stomped angrily to his door.

 

‘PROWL!’ Bee repeated, face red and fuming.

 

‘What?’ He asked without moving.

 

Bee held a tiny CD pinched in his two digits, mangled and slimy. ‘Your stupid Dinobots ate my disc!’

 

‘Perhaps you shouldn't leave your belongings lying around.’ He suggested coolly.

 

Bumblebee sputtered, throwing the disc on the ground. ‘IT WAS IN THE CONSOLE, _AND_ I WAS PLAYING IT!’

 

Prowl's face finally moved into a frown. ‘Oh.’ He sounded, but he made no action afterwards.

 

Realising that Prowl was refusing to be of any help, Bumblebee turned on his heel and barrelled into his room, throwing himself onto his berth, where he remained sulking for an age.

 

It just... it just wasn't fair.

 

Ever since the Dinobots had to be moved off their island and into the base, he felt he had been shoved to the sidelines, Prowl was having the time of his life babying them, but whenever they reared their ugly helms and made a mess of things, he was always on the receiving end, he was always the one cleaning up.

 

There was a knock at his door. ‘Bumblebee?’ Optimus called, before entering softly. ‘Are you ok?’

 

‘Can we tape Swoop's mouth shut?’ Bee mumbled.

 

Optimus sighed, bracing his olfactory sensor with a digit. ‘Bumblebee...’ He started. ‘I know it's frustrating, but-’

 

Bee threw himself upright. ‘But they keep breaking _my_ stuff, they keep sitting on _me_ , they keep bugging _me_ , and all Prowl does about it is sit in his room and make stupid noises! He's trained them just to piss me off, I know it!’

 

‘I know they're not picking on you because Prowl told them to.’ Optimus refuted. ‘Bumblebee, listen, they might look fully forged, but their sparks aren't, they haven't figured out their way of playing isn't the same as yours.’ He put a servo on Bumblebee's shoulderplates. ‘I'll talk to Prowl about engaging with them more so they don't bother you, and don't worry about it too much, it's all good practice in case you ever become a caretaker.’

 

Optimus quietly closed the door to Bee's room, walking back to the main area of the base.

 

‘Thanks Bossbot.’ Bumblebee said quietly.

 

 

* * *

 

 

‘Maybe you should stay at my place for a while, we could have a sleepover!’ Sari suggested.

 

Bee thought about it as he drove along the dark roads of midtown Detroit and towards the drive-in theatre, Sari sleepovers were great, but that was the problem, they were _too_ great, and Optimus wouldn't like it if he came back to base with only half a night-cycle's charge.

 

‘I don't think Bossbot would let me.’ He said reluctantly.

 

‘Lame.’ Sari sighed, taking a sip of her milkshake, her eyes following the streetlights as they passed overhead. ‘I guess it's not the end of the world though Bee, they'll grow up sometime. Anyway, I thought you liked the Dinobots, what changed?’

 

‘What changed is they moved in and- and, I don't know.’ He sighed. ‘They were fine on the island, but now they're in my space and- I, I don't like how Prowl gets to be happy and I don't.’ He begrudgingly admitted.

 

‘Don't sweat it, Bee.’ Sari soothed. ‘It's like what my dad says: "whatever you do comes back to you eventually", it means if you keep being good, good things will happen down the line, maybe that'll include this whole mess.’

 

‘I guess.’ Bee mumbled, not really believing in the whole karma concept, he rolled to a stop by traffic lights, not liking how the road he was supposed to turn down was absolutely packed with cars. ‘Aw man, don't tell me there's a jam down there.’

 

‘Nooo.’ Sari whined. ‘We're going to be late to the movie aren't we?’

 

Bumblebee assessed his options, bringing up a map on his HUD, they were pretty close to Old Detroit, it would actually save time if they cut through it instead of the original route. ‘Gonna make a shortcut.’ He said, going down a different road when the light changed.

 

Sari started getting uncomfortable when she noticed the amount of streetlights lessen, and the buildings getting steadily more decrepit as they drove past ‘Bee, these roads aren't safe.’ She complained as they went over a pothole.

 

‘Please Sari.’ He dismissed confidently. ‘We're Autobots, the only thing stupid enough to try and cause trouble with us is a-’

 

A massive dark shape swooped low across the road, screeching all the way.

 

It passed over them in an instant, the barest tips of _something_ brushing the top of Bumblebee's alt-mode, he slammed on the breaks, his lights turning off on instinct, spark racing loops around its cage.

 

‘-Con.’ He squeaked, sensors trained in the direction the shape had flown, but everything was dark, and unnaturally silent.

 

‘W-what was _that_?’ Sari whispered, turning round on her seat and peering out the rear window.

 

It was a long while before Bee calmed down enough for him to start moving again, not liking how his sensors kept reporting nothing, what was it that touched him? It didn't feel like metal, or even plastic, it was soft and fluffy, like one of Sari's stuffed toys.

 

Organics didn't really come in that big of a size... did they?

 

Still the world remained quiet around them, nothing but the moon illuminating the broken road in front of them.

 

‘Bee.’ Sari whispered. ‘It's behind us.’

 

He tilted his mirrors to where she was looking and squeaked internally, behind them was a dark shape, twice as big as his alt-mode, something on its back shimmered in the moonlight, it crawled quickly along the ground where he had first been touched, its eye, its singular blood red, _glowing_ eye searched aimlessly for something, and he had the sinking feeling it was looking for him. Just as he was about to floor it, and get them the hell out of there, the "thing", for lack of a better word, turned direction, as if attracted by something else, it moved towards an old warehouse, and, before you could blink, it was gone.

 

Worse off, his sensors still hadn't picked it up, which was impossible, all that moving around would have lit up his motion detector for sure, what was that thing? He had no idea organics could get that big outside of horror movies, at least it was gone and they could get out of here and-

 

It was something he was going to have to investigate wasn't he?

 

‘Sari, you go ahead to the drive-in, something tells me I-’

 

‘No way, I wanna see what that thing is too!’ She shot back, knowing exactly what he was going to say. ‘Besides, I think it might be a Transformer.’

 

‘ _How?_ ’ He sputtered in disbelief.

 

‘I dunno.’ She said, holding up her gently glowing key. ‘Call it a hunch.’

 

_~~_

 

‘Looks like an old carpet warehouse.’ Sari whispered from her perch on Bumblebee's shoulders, observing the broken crates in the moonlight that streamed in from the dusty windows.

 

Bumblebee crept slowly from bay to bay, audials pointed and on alert, whatever the thing was, he could hear it, he couldn't describe the noises it was making, but he could tell that whatever it was, Sari and the key might be right, this thing sounded robotic. There was a crunch, the sound of wood being broken, then an elated noise from the thing as if it found what it as looking for, it was very close, just beyond the stack of crates he hid behind.

 

He peeked.

 

The thing, whatever it was, was happily tearing into a roll of shag carpeting like it was an Energon cake, the shimmering on its back turned out to be wings, oddly patterned teal, grey and black wings, littered with hundreds of iridescent scales, it stood on six spindly legs, and was covered helm to pede in fluff, its silver antenna wiggled back and forth slowly as it dined on the carpet. For something sounding robotic and causing the key to glow, it didn't look very Cybertronian, in fact, it looked more like an Earth bug, a really big Earth bug, from Earth.

 

He stopped peeking, crouching back down behind his cover before whispering. ‘It's, uh, a giant butterfly.’

 

‘It's a moth, silly.’ Sari corrected with a shake of her head. ‘Moths eat carpet, and they really like light, that's probably why it flew at us.’

 

‘Huh.’ Bumblebee sounded, looking back at the moth with a frown, it had paused its feast to run its front pedes over its helm, spreading a shimmering dust around. ‘I dunno why, but it reminds me of something.’

 

The longer he stared at it, the harder it was to figure out what about it was familiar, he'd never seen anything like it before in his runtime, until he slowly realised.

 

‘An Insecticon!’ He gasped softly.

 

Sari looked at him, dumfounded. ‘A whaticon?’

 

‘On Cybertron we had these things called Insecticons, big huge things that were around before Autobots were.’ Bee babbled, barely remembering the history lesson from his tutorbot. ‘These things went extinct eons ago.’

 

Insecticons were weird, from what he remembered, they ate raw Energon straight from the crystal, they even ate anything organic that strayed onto the planet, their alt-modes had no purpose, and a few were just as fluffy as this one. Just like the Dinosaurs on Earth, they were wiped out several million vorns ago, the survivors forced to survive by downsizing to a scale much similar to that between a human and an Earth bug, making the Insectibots most knew of to this day.

 

‘Then an Allspark shard must have resurrected one just for us!’

 

It was Bumblebee's turn to look dumbfounded. ‘What?’

 

She clapped her hands together softly. ‘Don't you see? Whatever you do comes back to you, I bet the Allspark made this guy just to cheer you up.’ Sari suggested. ‘Look at him, he's so cute and fluffy~’

 

He stared at the Insecticon as it practically choked down a whole carpet roll. ‘I don't see it.’ What he did see though was Sari book it off his shoulder and over their hiding place, running towards it. ‘Sari!’

 

He ran after her, spark skipping as the Insecticon suddenly stopped eating and turned around to face them, its optic moved quickly to Sari, antennae flicking as it clicked.

 

Then it looked at him.

 

Iris going completely wide, it squealed, then pounced, knocking Bumblebee straight on the floor and onto his backstrut, its legs flailed wildly, as if it was trying to figure out how to hold him down, then it purred, and he realised it wasn't so much trying to pin him down as it was trying to _hug_ him, trilling and clicking, its optic stared widely into his own, curiosity oozing out, antenna wiggling with a greater intensity than before.

 

‘Aww, I think it likes you.’ Sari coddled.

 

‘I thought it was going to kill me!’ Bee wailed from his fluffy prison.

 

‘Maybe a little bit?’ She said. ‘Or maybe he likes your eyes, they are glowy and all.’

 

Bumblebee struggled to sit on his elbow joints, meeting the Insecticon's gaze as it tried to find a comfortable way to sit on him. ‘Yeah.’ He breathed.

 

He moved his helm left and right slightly, watching as its optic followed him, he lifted up a servo, gently running it through the Insecticon's fluff, it wasn't made of synthetic fibre, his sensors noticed, it was purely organic, another weird topping to the galaxy's weirdest cake, but as the Insecticon trilled and encouraged his servo to scratch at other places, he realised maybe he should at least take comfort in the fact that it wasn't hostile.

 

Sari climbed onto its back, tickling the spots behind it's antennae, and the way it's optic widened before curling in joy, you could tell it was having the time of its life.

 

It was just a big, dumb, fluffy bug.

 

Bee managed to wriggle out from under his new friend. ‘You're not so bad, aren't you?’ He complimented, giving it two pats before retrieving Sari. ‘What we should tell Bossbot?’

 

‘Tell him we're gonna need a bigger base, duh!’ Sari cheered, hands high in the air. ‘What should we call him? Fluffy? Oh! _What about Sora?_ I've always wanted to name something Sora!’

 

Bee frowned again. ‘I'm not so sure about that Sari.’

 

‘Come on, Sora's a great name.’ She insisted.

 

‘No, I mean about bringing him back to the base, the Dinobots'll turn him into moth jelly the moment they see him.’

 

She finally shared his frown. ‘Fair point.’

 

While they thought what to do, the Insecticon made itself at home, brushing against Bee's frame and against crates, chittering around in its strange Insecticon language and refusing to stand still, occasionally it looked back into Bee's optics, and he'd respond by brushing one servo down its back, watching it flutter its wings.

 

For something so sinister looking, it sure didn't act that way.

 

‘Oh no!’ Sari suddenly gasped. ‘The movie! We forgot all about it!’ She transformed, her wings sprouting from her back as she jetted away.

 

‘Sari!’ Bee shouted after her, honestly, they could have just watched the stupid thing on a different day.

 

The Insecticon followed her for a few steps, clicking a few words, then turned back to him, clicking a little more.

 

‘I don't understand you, buddy.’ Bee replied with a shrug, he looked around the warehouse, noting how many crates had been broken into, and a large nest made out of packing material. ‘How long've you been living here?’ He asked out loud, smiling a little when it chirruped back. ‘That long, huh?’ He played along, walking towards the nest, looking at it as he spoke. ‘Guess you wouldn't mind staying a little longer then would you? Just until Bossbot puts some manners... into...’

 

There had been a transformation sound from behind, followed by a giant shadow towering over him, it felt like the air had gotten several degrees colder.

 

‘You just turned into a big scary bot didn't you?’ He feared, slowly turning his head to see the Cybertronian form of the Insecticon. ‘Yes- yes you did, oh Primus!’ Bumblebee swore, running a good few paces away.

 

The Insecticon tilted its long thick neck, the antennae from before now audials, tilting backwards in confusion, clicking a few times, it was absolutely massive in this form, with four sets of sharp clawed servos, and a helm just as faceless as its Insecticon-mode from before. It looked at Bumblebee in confusion, then sulked slightly, audials tilted low and forwards, it walked towards its nest and curled up in it, helm and optic still ever focussed on Bumblebee's own. Two of the claws on one side patted out invitingly to him, wanting him to sit down in the nest.

 

‘Oh.’ Bumblebee uttered awkwardly, realising he wasn't getting murdered and the poor lit- _big_ guy just wanted to have a sleepover, and speaking of which... ‘Listen.’ Not that he knew it could understand him anyway. ‘I can't stay, I gotta go tell Bossbot ab-’

 

As if summoned, Optimus was suddenly on his commlink. ‘Bumblebee, I need you down by the docks right now! We have an emergency in progress!’

 

‘On it, Bossbot.’ Bee replied quickly into his comm, he looked at the Insecticon one final time, waving. ‘Listen, I gotta go, see you around!’

 

The Insecticon watched him leave.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Optimus was standing near the entrance to the docks with Bulkhead and Ratchet when Bumblebee arrived, none of them were in good shape, Bulkhead was missing a whole servo, and Optimus was leaking from his helm, wincing as Ratchet soldered his wounds. Towards the large shipping freighters, Bee could hear the sounds of a fight, metal crates being torn like tissue paper, the Dinobots roaring way in the distance, and at first he thought they had gone berserk.

 

That was until something else roared back.

 

‘Sorry to interrupt your movie.’ Optimus said the moment Bumblebee was near him, wiping electrolytes off his intake.

 

‘What's the sitch?’ Bee asked, optics trying to spot what was happening by the ships, but most of the lights in the area had been broken and it was dim.

 

‘We don't know what it is, but it's big, it's robotic, it came from the lake, and it started consuming everything it could get its servos on.’ Optimus briefed.

 

A bunch of human workers were also with the Autobots. ‘That thing just came out of the water and went straight for the food shipments, w-what kind of robot even does that!?’ One of them added.

 

Ratchet nodded, grumbling. ‘My EMP generator didn't do scrap on it, so we need to keep it from going near the fleshies until I find another solution.’

 

Bumblebee took off in a sprint, following the noise of the chaos deeper into the docklands, he couldn't help but find the scene of crates being torn into oddly familiar, their contents of food strewn all over ships that had sheer chunks taken out of them.

 

Then he saw it.

 

_Another Insecticon._

 

This one looked nothing like a moth, being more scarab-like, with not a wisp of fluff to be seen and powerful shell coated wings, it towered over everything in its Cybertronian form, hissing and spitting from its mandibles, elytra crackling in a display. Prowl, who was already there, dodged its attacks effortlessly, though his own couldn't even penetrate the Insecticon's thick metal plating, one lapse, and it had grabbed him completely by the helm, throwing him across the bay.

 

‘No hurt Prowl!’ Grimlock roared, bellowing flames at it, the other Dinobots following their leader.

 

It quickly retreated from their flames, launching itself onto the side of a ship, crawling up the side and onto the deck and out of sight. Swoop chased after it.

 

Bumblebee finally snapped out of his daze. ‘Y-you guys know what that thing is, right?’ Bumblebee asked out loud, arming his stingers, but only cautiously approaching the ship the Insecticon fled to, it wasn't so much fear holding him back, but a strange concern.

 

‘Not by name.’ Prowl replied, walking close to Bumblebee after he recovered. ‘You should stand back, that thing is dangerous.’

 

‘Hey!’ Bee shot back. ‘I can handle this guy just as well as you can!’

 

‘Just as well as you can handle the Dinobots?’

 

Swoop blew fireballs at the Insecticon, forcing it to jump down from the ship and back onto the docks, where it started running straight for Prowl and Bumblebee.

 

‘What did you say!?’

 

Prowl smirked. ‘You heard.’

 

The Insecticon was almost upon them.

 

‘Well maybe if you didn't train them to- oh SCRAP!’ Bumblebee screeched when he realised where the Insecticon was.

 

He was going to run, but it was looking him straight in the optics, just like the other Insecticon did, in a split second decision, he ducked behind Prowl and used his stingers on Prowl's chestplate, lighting up his headlights straight into the Insecticon's face. It screeched, recoiling and confused. Bumblebee and Prowl split directions, while Grimlock barrelled straight into it, pushing them both into a shipping crate, chomping down on an arm he shook and dragged it on the floor.

 

Prowl wasn't very happy being used as he was, turning off his headlights. ‘What were you thi-’

 

‘You got any stasis cuffs on you?!’ Bee shouted from the other side.

 

‘What?’

 

‘You heard me, stasis cuffs, the big things we use to take down Cons, you remember what those are right?’

 

Prowl's engine sputtered. ‘Why-’

 

‘Just shut up and do it! I'll get something to tie it up with.’ Bumblebee shouted again, optics dead set on a reel of ship cables.

 

Taking out his stasis cuffs, Prowl approached the Insecticon, trying to writhe its way out from under Grimlock, he quickly latched one cuff onto one arm, taking all his strength to pull the arm backwards towards the back of the Insecticon. Bee followed with the steel ship cables, looping the end round the other frantic arm and heaving it to where Prowl could finish cuffing it, the Insecticon crumbled to the floor, but unlike the Cons they usually cuffed, it remained highly active, hairline cracks appearing in the cuffs where it pulled.

 

‘You guys roll him, I tie him.’ Bee ordered, holding the cable with both servos.

 

It was a messy job, but they got there in the end, one effectively binded Insecticon, still, it thrashed, Bumblebee took the time to get a proper look at it, there wasn't much else that he didn't notice from before, aside that it looked and acted nothing like the Insecticon he met a mega-cycle ago, even though its optics were covered by a visor, he couldn't help but think it was wide-opticed and on edge. Eventually it realised it wasn't going anywhere, and settled down, growling slightly when Grimlock decided to rest his upper body on its chestplate, like they hadn't even been fighting a cycle ago.

 

‘The stasis cuffs aren't completely effective.’ Prowl noted into the comms. ‘But the enemy is subdued.’

 

‘Good job Prowl.’ Optimus congratulated over their comms, much to Bumblebee's ire.

 

Optimus, Ratchet and Bulkhead finally met up with them, Ratchet scanned it for a moment, scowling at how ineffective his scanner was at penetrating the outer plating. ‘Hmm, whatever this thing is, it's giving off some Cybertronian energy signals, just about.’

 

‘Where did it come from?’ Bulkhead wondered, looking at the destruction the Insecticon wrought. ‘You guys don't think that it has an Allspark fragment, right?’

 

‘Who knows.’ Optimus mumbled, crouching down in front of the Insecticon which weakly hissed at him. ‘In any case, we should get it contained and let Ratchet look at it properly. Let's rollout people.’

 

Optimus transformed, tires sagging as the others loaded the Insecticon onto his back.

 

‘What I don't understand is how is it that this thing is just resistant to everything we have? It doesn't even show up on my scanner.’ Ratchet grumbled, getting some more ship cable to tie the Insecticon to Prime's back.

 

Bumblebee stepped forwards, one servo raising itself slightly.

 

He quickly stopped himself.

 

 


	2. A Friend

 

 

‘You didn't tell them about Sora?’

 

Bumblebee choked a little on his Energon, quickly scanning to make sure nobody else was nearby who could hear. ‘(Sari, we're _not_ calling it Sora.)’ He hissed back, worried that someone might walk in and hear them, he motioned for her to join him in the parking lot outside the base. ‘Didn't you hear about what happened last night?’ He asked, sitting down with his Energon.

 

‘You mean the Decepticon that attacked the docks?’

 

‘It wasn't a Con Sari, it was another Insecticon, Ratchet's got it tied up in the medbay.’ He revealed.

 

‘Oh.’

 

He nursed his Energon a little bit. ‘That's why I didn't- you don't think- I mean, they're not too bright, but- I dunno.’ He stammered, trying to find his words.

 

‘What if it turns out its a bad guy too?’ She suggested.

 

He stimmed a little, tapping his digits on his glass as he thought. ‘Not just that, what if they're _not_ bad guys, do I really want to see them all tied up? I don't even know what we're doing with the one we already have.’ He vented. ‘But what if it does turn out to be bad? It'd be my fault for not saying it and- and...’ He shook his helm clear of the bad thoughts. ‘This is all confusing...’

 

Sari didn't look as worried as he was. ‘Well, that's kind of what we thought about the Dinobots when we first saw them, if we give him a little bit of the patented Autobot hospitality, then maybe he'll turn out better than them, come on, let's go shopping!’

_~~_

 

‘Ok, so what did Prowl get the Dinobots when he was looking after them?’ Sari mumbled to herself as Bee drove them into the city.

 

‘He kind of just threw them on Dinbot island and fed them takeout?’

 

Sari got out her phone. ‘Let's ask-’

 

Bumblebee almost skidded to a halt in shock. ‘No! No way we can ask Prowl, he'll know we're up to something!’

 

‘I was gonna say the bank, since he bought them stuff on the Autobot credit card.’

 

The faintest hint of a blush dusted Bumblebee's steering wheel. ‘Oh.’

 

_~~_

 

The list of transactions was pretty simple, food, toys, and one cardboard cutout of a movie actor, the Dinobots pretty much had their shelter and territory already set out for them, but Bumblebee thought "Fluffy" would need a little more furnishings for his warehouse, things like a TV... a Playstation... if he spruced the place up enough, it would make a decent home away from home.

 

This was, of course, all for "Fluffy", not himself.

 

~~(But if it turned out "Fluffy" didn't want them then of course he wouldn't let them go to waste.)~~

 

‘Bee, what about this one?’ Sari called, lifting up the arm of a big teddybear.

 

‘Did you check the fabric?’

 

She sighed in disappointment, 100% organic fibre, in other words, _lunch_.

 

~~

 

‘Hey, can I borrow a few books on parenting, pet keeping, moths, oh- and animal behaviour testing, I dunno, I'm not sure what he needs so I just want to cover all the bases.’

 

The librarian looked at her, silently.

 

_~~_

 

‘Let's see...’ Sari mumbled, sifting through a book on mothkeeping. ‘Adult moths mostly eat fruit juice, nectar and- eww!’ She winced a little, putting the book down and picking one about homeschooling up. ‘Ok, subject change.’

 

 

* * *

 

 

The Insecticon was still in the warehouse when they entered, completely curled up into a formless dark ball, wings opening and closing in its recharge eventually its red eye lit up and it looked at them before uncurling, it wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as it was yesterday, in fact, it seemed very calm, that was a huge relief though, the last thing Bumblebee wanted was to be crushed underneath it a second time.

 

‘Hey big guy~’ Sari greeted, bounding up to him and nuzzling her face into his fur. ‘Hey mister Mothywothy~ how are you today?’

 

It just stared at her.

 

‘We got you some presents, look!’

 

Bee emptied his subspace of goods, an exercise ball (which to them was about the size of a tennis ball), alphabet blocks, beanbags, a giant Snorlax plushie and then the things he bought for himself, the Insecticon's optic lit up, cautiously going towards the plushie, it's antenna flicked a little, then it ignored the thing, sensing synthetic fibre.

 

‘Yeah, we thought you might try to eat it.’ Bee commented with a laugh, moving it into the Insecticon's nest.

 

Sari held one finger up, assuming what she thought to be an authoritive pose. ‘You can play with them all later, but today marks the day we start introducing you to Autobot society so you don't turn out evil and don't do bad stuff, Bumblebee, the presentation if you will.’

 

‘On it boss.’ He went to work setting up her projector and screen, then sat down on a beanbag, gauging the Insecticon's reaction.

 

It was still very still and quiet, weird.

 

Sari however didn't pay it any thought, opening up the first slide. ‘You see, we are all Cybertronians, from the planet Cybertron, that's this big fella over here.’ She pointed at a badly drawn image of Cybertron. ‘But right now, we're on this little fella over there, Earth, this will come up on your test by the way. I'm Sari, and- uh, actually, I have no idea what kind of frame I am, but Bumblebee over there is a Minibot Racer, meaning he's small and fast, and _you_ are an Insecticon! Bumblebee, explain Insecticons.’

 

‘Big robots that went extinct several million vorns ago, and somehow you’re all back.’ He tapped a digit to his helm. ‘Or maybe you never left?’

 

‘These questions and more will be answered in time.’

 

_~~_

 

‘A, B, C, D-’

 

_Click, click, click, click._

 

‘Hmm, this might take longer than I thought.’

 

_~~_

 

‘Ok, snack time, but also lesson time, if you had to pick one carpet, whose would it be?’ Sari asked, presenting two rolls of carpet. ‘The one that belongs to the cute little baby which it needs to stay warm through the night?’ She said, pointing to the left one. ‘Or the one belonging to the big bad Decepticon who stole it from the poor and needy?’ Pointing to the right.

 

It went for both.

 

_‘No!’_

 

_~~_

 

‘I'm going to say some phrases, click once if you agree, twice if you don't, ok?’

 

The Insecticon made one small click.

 

‘"I like eating wool."’

 

It clicked twice.

 

‘"I am a creature of chaos."’

 

It clicked three times.

 

‘ARRGH!’

 

_~~_

 

‘I give up.’ She finally said, falling to the floor.

 

‘Hehe.’ Bumblebee laughed, having using the alphabet blocks to spell "butt". ‘So what did we learn today teach?’

 

‘It's a big, dumb bug.’ She grumbled. ‘Emphasis on the dumb.’

 

‘I dunno, it probably just needs to learn Cybertron speak.’ He said with a shrug, changing "butt" to "butticon"

 

She eventually sat up. ‘Tutorbot made it look so easy.’ She croaked.

 

‘Maybe we should get him to do all this stuff then?’

 

‘Yeah.’ Sari eventually reformed the bones in her body, standing up. ‘I'm gonna go get lunch.’ She pointed two fingers at her eyes then pointed at the Insecticon. ‘Don't you think about eating Bee.’ She warned, walking away backwards.

 

She left Bee and the Insecticon alone together, it transformed back into robot-mode.

 

‘That was fun fun.’

 

Bee dropped the blocks he was playing with and stared in front of him where the Insecticon spoke. ‘Y-’

 

‘I can talk talk.’ He replied smoothly, turning his long neck to face Bumblebee.

 

‘Then why didn't you!?’ Bee demanded, getting back on his pedes.

 

The Insecticon chuckled. ‘I wanted to assess your intentions, and it was funny ny.’

 

The initial shock subsided, and Bumblebee was left looking at the Insecticon, half of him still reeling from the fact he could talk, that he could _understand_ him, but the other half didn't feel so pleased, and forced him to cross his arms and put on a displeased glower. ‘So that whole cute thing from yesterday was an act?!’

 

The Insecticon paused, his audials twitched lower and he looked away, almost in shame. ‘I... I am not quite myself at night night.’ He admitted softly, then reengaged optic contact. ‘I am Shockwave wave, if you have questions, I have few answers swers.’

 

Bumblebee continued to stare at him, but eventually he too softened. ‘What do you mean about not being yourself at night?’

 

Shockwave moved back to his nest, curling up there, refusing to touch the Snorlax they left in it. ‘It's hard to explain, in the day I'm fine, the light light in the sky doesn't affect me, but the ones at night night, they're bright bright, there are too many...’ He rambled, claws twitching with the memory of last night. ‘It's hard to think clearly when I see them them, they're all so... beautiful ful.’ He stared Bumblebee straight in the optic. ‘That is why I made my home here, where there is less light light, less distraction tion,

 

But then you arrived and ruined it it.’

 

Bumblebee went red, steam escaping his vents. ‘H-hey...’

 

Shockwave tilted his audials back, shaking his helm slightly. ‘Yes, I suppose that's too harsh harsh, you didn't know know.’ He looked like he wanted to say more, but instead stiffened. ‘Do not come here at night night, that is your only warning.’

 

The warning left him uncomfortable, but he also felt a little embarrassed for treating Shockwave like a dumb bug, but it was like he said, he didn't know his lights would affect him like that, still, he didn't feel ok with just leaving Shockwave on his own and alone.

 

‘S-sorry about yesterday, I was just driving through the area.’ He apologised weakly, he walked closer, getting into the nest then sitting cross legged, leaning his back on Shockwave's side, taking the silent invitation from last night. ‘So, you just live here, by yourself?’

 

‘By myself self.’

 

‘You have any other friends you visit?’ Bee asked, but Shockwave didn't answer. ‘How did you get here? Did you hitch a ride to Earth ooor...’

 

Shockwave stilled, staring into space. ‘I don't know, I remember trees, rocks, water water, then I saw the lights, they drew me here.’

 

‘Nothing before that?’

 

‘Nothing thing.’ Shockwave looked at Bumblebee again. ‘You're very nosy, did you know that that?’

 

Bee shrugged his shoulderplates nonchalantly. ‘Just trying to get to know you, nothing wrong with that, right?’

 

‘What will you do with the information tion?’

 

Bee looked at him oddly, did he know anything about how friends work? ‘Not much, that's just what friends do.’ He said, trying hard to not be condescending. ‘Friends remember stuff about each other.’

 

Shockwave tilted his helm by a few degrees. ‘Friends friends?’

 

It took everything in Bee's willpower not to laugh at him. ‘Yeah, friends.’ He repeated.

 

Shockwave's optic lidded, and his audials bent forwards, he lifted one clawed arm, using it to gently stroke the side of Bumblebee's helm. ‘Then, where do you live live?’

 

‘In the city, I don't think you'd like it, it's lit like a party down there.’

 

‘By yourself self?’

 

‘I live with my team, the Autobots, it's our duty to fight crime and bad guys, to protect the innocent.’ Bumblebee explained, chin lifting with pride.

 

Shockwave stopped his petting. ‘The Sari said we were from Cybertron tron, what is Cybertron like like?’

 

‘Oh man, where do I start?’ Bee sighed. ‘It's real different to Earth, the whole planet is made of metal, there's no water, storms can short you out for solar-cycles if you get hit in one, and the cities are so big they have their own cities, Energon is on tap, and-’ Noticing it was bothering Shockwave, Bumblebee stopped, he snuggled a little into his fur, stroking one servo down him. ‘Hey, don't worry about it, you're in a pretty good spot over here, and now you have me and Sari, we'll help spruce the place up a little and let you have your space at night if you still want it that way.’

 

Shockwave nodded, bending his helm low over Bee, optic lidding. ‘Thank you, Bee Bee.’

 

Bee relaxed, his fears that had been present earlier in the day slowly melting away, except for one. ‘Hey Shockwave, have you seen anyone else like you around? You know, big bots, multiple arms, the whole Insecticon thing?’

 

‘No no.’ Shockwave said, then he looked away for a moment, distracted. ‘But... felt felt.’

 

 

* * *

 

 

Driving back from Old Detroit, Bumblebee was thinking hard, Shockwave, didn't just have a name, he had a processor, _feelings_ , and he was willing to bet his entire game collection that if they opened him up there would be a spark the size of his helm inside him. Did the one they have at the base have the same deal going on? Were they flipping out because of lights? The docks had been pretty dim compared to the rest of the city, but if Bumblebee alone could mess with Shockwave, who knows what it could have done to the other.

 

And maybe it was trying to seek refuge at the docks because they were dim, like how Shockwave lived in the warehouse, so that he would be safe by his fuel source.

 

He raced all the way home, transforming fluidly without coming to a stop and striding inside the base, the first thing he noticed was that the Insecticon was awake again, he could tell by the hissing and banging coming from medbay, the second was that Prowl and Grimlock were standing guard outside.

 

‘The robot is still subdued, if that is what you are wondering.’ Prowl said the moment they had optic contact.

 

Grimlock puffed his chest proudly ‘Me Grimlock keep good watch! Bad robot no make trouble!’

 

‘Is Docbot with him?’ Bee asked, but then saw that Ratchet was on the other side of the main room, reading a datapad and looking absolutely done with life. ‘Guess not.’

 

‘I've had enough of trying to examine the damn thing.’ Rachet grumbled. ‘Unless you have any bright ideas.’

 

‘Actually, I kind of do.’ Bee said, before he realised exactly what he just said, flinching a little at how Prowl and Ratchet were gazing at him. ‘I mean, Sari told me how he looks a lot like an Earth bug, so I did a little research and-’

 

‘You? _Researched?_ ’ Ratchet uttered in complete disbelief.

 

Bee's faceplate went red and he swallowed the embarrassment. ‘Y-yes, _yes I did_ , a-anyway, it gave me an idea, are... are the lights in the medbay turned on or anything?’ He shovelled out, not sounding confident in his white lies in the least.

 

‘Yes, they are.’ Ratchet answered.

 

Prowl caught on instantly. ‘I heard that Earth insects are attracted to light, but why would this robot-’

 

‘It's not a robot!’ Bumblebee blurted out, then panicked. ‘I- I mean, I think an Allspark shard made it and b-based it on an Earth bug!’

 

He didn't like the way they were staring at him.

 

‘Hmm, go on then.’ Ratchet grumbled, settling back into his seat with his datapad. ‘Just don't mess with the binding, whatever you do.’

 

‘I won't let you down Docbot.’ Bumblebee thanked with a salute.

 

_~~_

 

The medbay was congested with brightness, the Insecticon twisting this way and that, trying their best to get out of their bonds, the first thing Bee did was go to the computers, turning off their screens, then used tape to cover up any glowing buttons, then finally finished by turning off the lights and dimming the brightness of his own optics, outright hoping his theory was right.

 

Slowly, just slowly, the Insecticon calmed down, it vented heavily, exhausted, the poor guy must have been doing this all solar-cycle, almost 30 cycles passed before the Insecticon finally relaxed.

 

They turned their helm to him.

 

‘Hey.’ Bumblebee greeted softly. ‘You ok now?’

 

They clicked back.

 

‘Can you talk? Your cousin talked.’

 

The mandibles on their mouth moved, tasting the air, they clicked again, shuffling awkwardly in their restraints, they understood what he said, just about, but he didn't know if they really couldn't talk, or was just playing dumb like Shockwave did.

 

‘Lights make you mad huh?’ Bee talked again. ‘I only just found out about it today, sorry about the whole-’

 

‘Where... where did you send the enemy my?’ The Insecticon finally croaked. ‘Whose hive do you serve serve?’

 

Bumblebee squeaked a little in surprise. ‘Uh... the Autobots?’ he said, walking a little closer, optics completely focussed on its reaction. ‘Woah, easy.’ Bee said when he tensed. ‘I ain't doing anything you don't want me to.’

 

It took a while for the Insecticon to relax once more, Bee approached again, the Insecticon spoke again. ‘Where did you send the enemies mies?’ He repeated.

 

‘You mean the lights? Those aren't enemies, they're just bright and stuff.’ Bumblebee assured him, but he didn't look convinced in the slighted. ‘Do you have a name?’

 

‘Hardshell shell, proud soldier.’ Hardshell answered, his tone of voice becoming agitated. ‘Where is my hive hive? Answer, Autobot drone!’

 

‘I have no idea buddy, where was the last place you had it?’

 

Hardshell stilled, turning his helm, like he was thinking hard. ‘Hardshell must have a hive hive...’ He muttered to himself.

 

‘What's the first thing you remember?’ Bumblebee asked, leaning over Hardshell's frame.

 

Hardshell didn't answer.

 

‘Do you remember anything about your... hive thingy?’

 

Still no answer.

 

‘Wh-’

 

Hardshell suddenly snapped, renewing his struggle to break his bonds, roaring, helm rearing and mandibles snapping, Bumblebee flinched away just in time before Hardshell could bite a chunk out of his helm.

 

‘That's enough out of you.’ Ratchet suddenly said behind them, blasting Hardshell with his EMP generator set on maximum, making him sag in his restraints. ‘Should have told you to be careful kid, he likes to play dead.’

 

Bumblebee stepped a few paces back, spark racing laps around it's cage. ‘T-thanks Ratchet, how much of that did you hear?’

 

‘Enough for me to confirm my suspicions, this thing, it's an Insecticon.’

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moths have many uncomfortable facts, so what Sari saw is entirely up to you.


	3. A Threat?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ratchet's revelation leaves Bumblebee doubting Shockwave's origins, but, even as another Insecticon attacks, he still can't bring himself to hate them.

 

 

All the Autobots gathered in the main room for the briefing from Ratchet, Bumblebee kept his faceplate blank, but his processor was buzzing, he’d be an idiot to think that Ratchet was going to announce the revelation as good news, but all he could do was listen.

 

‘Well, thanks to Bumblebee, (never thought I’d be saying that in my runtime) I’ve managed to identify what we have in our medbay.’

 

‘What did you find Ratchet?’ Optimus asked.

 

‘Our friend is an Insecticon, a primitive form of Cybertronian.’ He announced.

 

Bumblebee looked at the others' reactions, Bulkhead audibly gasped, he probably knew as much as Bee did, Optimus was confused, maybe he hadn't been taught about them, or hadn't been as enthusiastic for natural history, as for Prowl, a glimmer of something moved Prowl’s lips for a moment, before it snapped right back into place.

 

‘I'm sure you youngbots probably know them to be long extinct, but unfortunately, like all Autobot history, that's only half the story.’ Ratchet explained, walking from one end of the Autobot line to the other, then turning to face them all. ‘At one point during the war, so they could be used as battle thralls, the Decepticons tried to bring them back from extinction.’

 

Bumblebee's spark grew two sizes smaller.

 

‘They almost succeeded, if it weren't for one very timely attack on their lab, the project was stopped before they were ready to release these things on the entirety of Cybertron.’

 

Optimus looked very concerned, putting two and two together. ‘The way you say that, you weren't there... were you Ratchet?’

 

‘You Ratchet squish bad robots!?’ Grimlock joined in, treading the ground with excitement, showing how little he understood of what was being said.

 

Ratchet turned away again, crossing his arms. ‘Not inside, I tended to the wounded outside... those things were vicious, I remember seeing one of the failed experiments being taken out of the labs.’ He turned his helm halfway. ‘It was some half-cooked, multi-legged monstrosity, it took six good bots to keep it under control, and it sounded exactly like the one we have in the medbay, that's how I know.’

 

Everyone was shaken, _Deception war experiments..._

 

‘W-what do we do?’ Bulkhead asked, shivering. ‘You don't thin-’

 

‘If the Allspark didn't decide to resurrect it, then the Decepticons surely did.’ Ratchet shook his helm, holding it in the palm of one servo to comfort it. ‘We- we have to tell Autobot command about this, even if it was just a one off, we can't contain it on our own, and it doesn't want to play nice with anyone.’

 

Optimus had been thinking hard about the revelation all the way through, he eventually nodded in understanding. ‘If that is what you think is the right course of action, I'll message Ultra Magnus right away.’ He broke formation, going towards the communication console. ‘It's getting late, you should all get some recharge.’

 

_~~_

 

Bumblebee couldn't recharge that night.

 

It couldn't be...

 

The Allspark shards resurrected them, that could be the reason, _that had to be the reason,_ there was no way Shockwave could be-

 

A Decepticon experiment.

 

It didn't make sense to him, there were just too many questions that had bogus answers, why here on Earth? If the Decepticons were really behind it, why wouldn't they do it on one of their planets? You know, somewhere were the Autobots wouldn't find out. Another question was for what purpose? That was a little easier to answer, they wanted anything they could use to get an advantage over the Autobots, but was that worth all this trouble?

 

And Shockwave was on his own for a while, did he escape from them? Was he a spy? Bumblebee didn't know what judgement to make, playing dumb was a big purple Decepticon flag, but that night he first met him, the more he thought about that, the more it felt that Shockwave's behaviour was real.

 

In the end, he didn't know.

 

That wasn't the end of his worries, something told Bumblebee that Ratchet didn't want Autobot command to know, and he dreaded to know why, still, he just couldn't believe this talk about them being viscous monsters, sure, Hardshell did try to rip his helm off, Bee wasn't going to forgive him for that anytime soon, but he knew why he did it at least. Hardshell had gone through the whole day without his hive thing (whatever that was), and thinking all the lights in the medbay were out to kill him, he was so angry he'd have given Blitzwing some serious competition.

 

Bumblebee turned over in his berth, trying one last time to drift off.

 

It just didn't feel fair.

 

 

* * *

 

 

‘So, the Autobots have discovered the Insecticons.’

 

‘Master! Say the word, and I will retrieve the bug from their _FILTHY_ servos!’

 

‘Don't bother, it is not worth the trouble, these things are as uselessly primitive as ever, slaves to their own instincts, I prefer my warriors with no such weakness, with more than one track in their processor.’

 

‘ConGRatUlaTiOnZ LuGnUT, JoU JuZt AbOuT qUAlIfY, AHaHahAhA-’

 

_Punch._

 

‘Besides, it's not like the Autobots would be able to do anything, they stole the old Insecticon experiment from us thousands of vorns ago and merely sat on it, my main goal is getting that instinctive coding beaten out of them, perhaps then the old experiment may finally be worthy of our cause.

 

 _Find Blackarachnia._ ’

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sari was already there at Shockwave's home when Bumblebee arrived. ‘Bee!’ She yelled, bounding up to him in strides. ‘You'll never guess what!’

 

Bumblebee looked from her, to Shockwave, who was looking awfully self satisfied with himself. ‘What Sari?’ He asked, feeling he knew the answer.

 

‘Our lessons yesterday worked, he can talk now!’ She declared, almost jumping for joy. ‘He wants to be called Shockwave and he has this cute little echo when he speaks, you _have_ to hear it!’

 

Shockwave's audials wiggled in amusement, Sari bounced on her heels in happiness, and Bumblebee realised it wasn't worth ruining Sari's pride to get at Shockwave's, but he had another idea.

 

‘Wow, that's amazing Sari!’ Bumblebee congratulated, putting both servos on his knees and crouching slightly to her eye level. ‘What was " _Mr Mothywothy's_ " first word?’

 

‘It was "Bee Bee".’ She said with a laugh, even imitating the echo. ‘I think he likes you!’

 

Bumblebee drank in Shockwave's utterly embarrassed expression, though a few wisps of steam hissed out his own vents.

 

Sari didn't notice the reaction from either of them. ‘I didn't even need to use Tutorbot.’ She boasted, then she transformed, spreading her wings. ‘Anyway, we need to start sort this place out and turning it into a proper home, it's a tip.’

 

‘It's my tip tip.’ Shockwave complained, feeling proud of the absolute mess he called his home.

 

‘And you deserve a little better, buddy.’ Bumblebee said, giving him a few pats to his side. ‘Let's get started.’

 

_~~_

 

They started by tossing out all the broken crates and decimated carpet rolls, stacking the rolls Shockwave had left to eat in the far corner, taking out all the health and safety hazards that had been left behind or dumped over the years. Then they got to work planning out where to put everything, and how they were going to keep people from finding Shockwave, or stealing his stuff, they couldn’t just rig up an automatic alarm system like they had at the Autobot base, Fanzone and his cops were just as likely to shoot Shockwave as they would a burglar.

 

‘We could put locks on everything, but then what would Shocky going to do at night? Would he remember the key?’

 

‘What's a key key?’

 

With Shockwave having proven Bee's point, Sari thought hard. ‘I've got an idea.’ She finally said. ‘Let's rig up a microchip system to open the doors, it'd be like a big catflap!’

 

And Shockwave would be the big cat.

 

_~~_

 

‘We should put the TV over there and section it off with curtains, that way it won't mess with Shockwave when he wants to sleep.’ Bee said, pointing to a place across from them. ‘Oh and we should get more of those giant beanbags.’

 

Sari crossed her arms. ‘You’re just gonna sit here all day and play games aren't you.’

 

‘You say that like it's a bad thing.’

 

_~~_

 

‘Hey dad, can you get me some windows?’ Sari said into her phone, looking right ahead at the broken skylights. ‘A skylight too? Yeah, I'm making a clubhouse, can we make it out of that stuff that's...’

 

While Sari talked to her dad, Bumblebee sat down with Shockwave in his nest, feeling dead on his pedes for all the hauling around he had to do, the warehouse had gone from a labyrinthian mess to a huge empty space, Marie Kondo would have probably been proud of it, if there was anything left to call it homely, and the nest still needed a good upgrade, namely plushies, _lots_ of plushies.

 

‘Tired tired.’ Shockwave mumbled, transforming into moth-mode and curling up, fully intent on sleeping.

 

‘But you barely did anything.’ Bee laughed, he took a cube of Energon out of his subspace, he started sipping, then noticed that the dim pink glow of it had Shockwave staring at it. ‘It's my lunch.’

 

‘What is it it?’

 

‘Energon, it’s our food back on Cybertron, you want to try?’ Bee offered, holding his cube forward. ‘You guys used to eat this stuff back in the old days.’

 

Shockwave leaned forwards, a thin black proboscis emerging from the black, formless mass of Shockwave's mouthparts, then from that came a tiny black tongue, darting out and lightly tasting the Energon in an instant, the best way to describe his reaction, was as if a black hole had formed in his helm, making it collapse and cringe upon itself.

 

Bumblebee burst out laughing. ‘You should see your faceplate!’ He said, watching Shockwave's face continue to implode. ‘Ok, it doesn't taste _that_ bad.’ He defended lightly when Shockwave started shaking his entire helm.

 

Shockwave ran his fronts pedes over his helm as he shook it, desperate to make the taste go away. ‘Hate hate!’ He spat.

 

‘I guess they don’t make it like they used to.’ Bumblebee then took a bag of takeout from his subspace. ‘Anyway, I got something else for your lunch, I figured since the Dinobots kind of like this stuff, you might too.’

 

Shockwave was very cautious this time round, his mouthparts tasting the air around the bag, he clamped the edge of the bag and emptied it, brushing away the fries and burgers, until he found what he was looking for, pinching the super sized cup of fizzy. ‘What's this this?’ He asked, pulling the top off and marvelling at the pale pinkish drink within.

 

‘Strawberry lemonade? I dunno, they said I had to have a drink for the Big Boy Meal Deal, so I thought you’d like that one.’ Bumblebee said, scratching the back of his helm.

 

Shockwave gently tasted the lemonade, then quickly tasted it again, until he settled into a slow pace of lapping at the cup. Bee was enraptured, the sight of it was just... why did Shockwave have to be so cute?!

 

Since it was small for Cybertronian standards, Shockwave finished it very quickly. ‘Thank you Bee Bee.’ He said, optic curling slightly in content. ‘Bring more next time, less fizz fizz, more sweet.’

 

Internally Bee felt a lot more relaxed seeing Shockwave like this, would a Decepticon experiment act like this? He smiled and laughed at Shockwave. ‘You got it boss.’

 

As if summoned, Optimus was suddenly on his comms. ‘Autobots, rendezvous at this point.’ He ordered, sending a co-ordinate far on the other side of Lake Eerie. ‘Canada's reporting a Decepticon near one of their fishing ports, but from the description... I think it might be another Insecticon.’

 

Bee's smile dropped.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The sun was already starting to set when the Autobots arrived at the scene.

 

‘If this one's as big as the last one, we're not going to have any room in the medbay.’ Ratchet grumbled as they approached the building the potential Insecticon was last seen in, a cannery.

 

‘According to the report, it's around Bumblebee's size, it's frame is black, yellow and purple, and as of twenty cycles ago, was seen in this building.’ Optimus briefed. ‘Since this complex is quite large and has multiple exits we need to split up and search.’

 

‘Why would it be here?’ Bumblebee complained mildly. ‘What's so cool about cans?’

 

‘(I think people eat whatever's put in the cans, Bee.)’ Bulkhead answered, not wanting to make Bumblebee look too stupid.

 

‘Just like last time.’ Prowl commented sourly. ‘It seems its main intention is to fulfil its primal instincts.’

 

Bumblebee couldn't stop himself from frowning, and it wasn't from embarrassment, Prowl never used that tone when talking about the Dinobots.

 

~~

 

‘Why does this keep happening to me?’ Bumblebee complained to himself quietly.

 

He walked through one of the hundreds of abandoned assembly lines, not liking how quiet it was, or how dark it was getting as the sun kept setting, it was only the late afternoon, but it was autumn, and the closer it got to winter, the earlier it would set, they’d have to turn the light on soon, if whoever was here really was a Insecticon, they didn't have much time to be themselves.

 

Bumblebee hoped, from the very bottom of his spark, that they wouldn't get as mad as Hardshell did.

 

Hearing a metallic noise, Bumblebee jumped, he aimed his stingers behind him, only to vent in relief and lower them, it was Prowl behind him. ‘(Don't sneak up on me like that!)’ He hissed.

 

‘You did research on Earth insects.’ Prowl said quietly, ignoring what Bumblebee said. ‘Do you have any ideas where or what it could be feeding on?’

 

‘Wh-’ Bumblebee stuttered. ‘(You spend all day watching nature shows, nature boy, you tell me!)’ He whispered harshly, not wanting to attract any more attention.

 

‘I know what they eat in the wild, but I doubt this factory would be packing anything of that sort.’

 

Bumblebee huffed, then stomped over to a map of the building, reading up all the different areas. ‘Everything's fish.’ He grumbled, turning his helm back to face Prowl. ‘You watch any shows on fish?’

 

Prowl didn't answer, not that he had the chance to, when Bulkhead piped up on their comms. ‘Guys, oh jeez- oh this is bad, they're in the big freezer area, come quick!’

 

‘"They"?’ Both Prowl and Bumblebee said at the same time.

 

Prowl transformed into a bike and sped ahead to the freezer room, Bumblebee struggled to keep up with his pace on foot, just as Prowl got to the opened bay door of the freezer he was struck, not by one Insecticon, nor two...

 

Five of them had flown straight into him.

 

Bumblebee skidded to a halt, optics as wide as hubcaps as he watched two more locust shaped Insecticons fly out to smother Prowl, all of them were perfectly identical, from the helm to the pedes. He looked round the corner to see just how many more there were, and he wasn't prepared for the sheer amount, he couldn't even count how many, they covered the whole bay in a sea of snapping mandibles, twitching wings and dull shells, consuming everything organic in sight.

 

‘Bulkhead?!’ He called into the room, zapping and ducking under the Insecticons that tried to jump him. ‘Where are you buddy!?’

 

A green servo extended in the far distance. ‘There was just ten when I got in here, I swear!’ He yelled, though it came out as a quiet muffle. ‘They keep multiplying!’

 

Just as Bulkhead said it, it happened, one of the feasting Insecticons suddenly glowed, the others nearby pausing to stare and chatter excitedly as it quickly split and made two Insecticons. Prowl struggled out from the pile he was under, flashing his headlights to make the Insecticons recoil, he stabbed a glaive clean into the faceplate of one that tried to bite into his arm, marvelling at how it suddenly turned to dust and ash the moment his weapon connected with the soft protoform.

 

‘Aim for their protoforms!’ Prowl advised, making several more crumble from his precise attacks. ‘These are merely cheap replicas!’

 

Optimus quickly arrived on the scene, quickly taking control and eliminating three clones in one quick sweep of his axe. ‘Then that means there's an original somewhere here.’

 

Bumblebee was going to dive headfirst into the freezer to rescue Bulkhead from being a chewtoy, when he caught something out the corner of his optic, it was another one of the Insecticons, but unlike the others, who wanted nothing but to eat Autobots and organics alike, this one was running away, he had to be the leader. Bumblebee chased after him, jumping over conveyor belts and skirting around machines, and then he pounced, sending the Insecticon crashing into a packing machine, getting stuck between its workings legs flailing as it desperately tried to get back up.

 

‘Kickback gives gives!’ The Insecticon, Kickback squeaked in fear. ‘No more hurt hurt!’

 

‘Tell your clone thingies to stop and I will.’ Bee demanded, bringing a hydraulic part of the machine to keep Kickback pinned.

 

Kickback continued to flail pathetically, trying to pull himself out, but he was small, and nowhere near as strong as Hardshell was. ‘K-Kickback can't unmake Kickbacks, can't help it it.’ He excused weakly. ‘Let go, Kickback never come back to your hive hive, promise! Kickback was just hungry gry.’

 

That was the third time the word hive was said, and Bumblebee was as equally baffled now as he was then, from the way Hardshell said it, he thought it sounded like an object or a person he lost, but the way Kickback said it, it sounded more like a concept, and deep down in the depths of his processor he felt like he knew the answer, it wasn't something that belonged to you, but you belonged to.

 

_“Home?”_

 

Before Bumblebee could ask anything further, Ratchet's EMP generator hit Kickback, while it didn't knock him out, it might as well have for all the good it did Bumblebee, Kickback stopped struggling and lay there, twitching and clicking to himself in a drowsy haze, and what little signs of intelligence he had were snuffed out, leaving a dumb bug in his place.

 

‘Good job kid.’ Rachet congratulated, giving Bumblebee two pats to his shoulderstruts. ‘I'll tie it up, you go help finish off the duplicates.’

 

‘Thanks.’ Bumblebee said reluctantly, as the last rays of the sun extinguished.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Optimus: *Takes out a Soundwave and makes it play the Scooby Doo mystery music* Alright gang, let's split up and search for clues.


	4. I Didn't...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who stayed up 2 hours last night making another shitty work skin? That's right, it's me, make sure you've got creator's style enabled and read it landscape on your phone, otherwise you're gonna have a baaad tiiime~

 

 

‘Oww...’ Bulkhead whined, he was covered helm to pede in bites, and while they weren't threatening, they certainly did hurt.

 

Ratchet tended to his cuts without any urgency. ‘You'll be fine.’ He replied, in a tone that was nowhere as reassuring as it was dismissive. ‘Those things barely even made it past your armour.’

 

‘This is gonna hurt when I transform though, isn't it?’ Bulkhead worried, he transformed as gently as he could, hissing and wincing just before his helm disappeared into his alt-mode. ‘OUCH! Ow... why did I have to be right.’

 

Ratchet shrugged his shoulderplates. ‘See? You'll drive it off.’ He said with two pats to Bulkhead's side.

 

‘Speaking of driving off.’ Optimus said, he too was in his alt-mode, with Kickback strapped securely to him. ‘Let's head for home team.’

 

Bumblebee spent most of the drive home silent, too many thoughts to keep track of just flooded his CPU, even when the EMP charge wore off, Kickback was too dumbed down to try and break his restraints, clicking and cooing to Bumblebee the entire drive home, and yet Bee couldn't do anything but drive alongside him, it wasn't as if he could just go and blabber like he always did, something along the lines of "hey, so Kickback said he can’t control the whole clone thing, funny right? Maybe he's not a total bad guy." One slip up was all the others needed to figure out he was hiding things, namely Shockwave.

 

Prowl was driving to close to him for his liking.

 

‘I wonder where these guys came from?’ Bulkhead wondered aloud. ‘Probably somewhere way outside the city, right?’

 

‘It's too early to make an accurate guess at this point.’ Optimus said. ‘There's quite some distance between the first Insecticon and this one.’

 

Taking the courage, and silently thanking Bulkhead for the opportunity, Bumblebee spoke up. ‘We could just ask them where they came from.’ His bravery quickly dissolved from the blanksilence the others gave him. ‘Y-you guys know they can talk right?’

 

Kickback wasn't helping his own case in the slightest, continuing to make gibberish noises as the streetlights overhead passed them.

 

‘They can?’ Bulkhead repeated, sounding mildly enlightened. ‘Huh.’

 

Bumblebee was quiet for the rest of the trip.

 

 

* * *

 

 

One thing worrying about the Elite Guard was that, the sooner they arrived, the more important the problem was, not one solar-cycle after the night Optimus messaged them, they had arrived. Waiting for them at the base after their mission to capture Kickback, was none other than Ultra Magnus, Sentinel Prime and Jazz, followed by a small entourage that Bee didn't recognise.

 

Ultra Magnus eyed Kickback with a darkened expression as Optimus parked, the others transforming and hauling the inebriated Insecticon off him so he could stand up. ‘Ultra Magnus, sir.’ Optimus saluted. ‘Thank you for responding to my message so quickly.’

 

Ultra Magnus nodded slowly, his attention still completely on Kickback. ‘Is this a new Insecticon that you have caught?’

 

‘Yes sir, the other one is in the medbay, the Dinobots are guarding it.’

 

‘Hmm.’ Ultra Magnus noised, his grip on his hammer tightened by a single degree, then he turned, walking towards the base.

 

Sentinel looked over Kickback with a sneer. ‘Ugh, ugly little thing, isn't it?’

 

‘ _You're no prize._ ’ Optimus scoffed, hitting him lightly on the shoulder as he passed.

 

Sentinel's faceplate went bright red, he fumbled his words, each one so embarrassed it joined the Well of Allsparks before it left his vocaliser. ‘I- yo- well- ge- get back here Optimus!’ He finally barked, running after him.

 

Bumblebee hurried behind, wanting to hear every word the Magnus was going to say, he had a dark feeling in his tanks that he wouldn't be able to do anything in the encounter to come. It felt bad, knowing that the Insecticons had a voice, but not knowing where to even start convincing him, as far as the status quo was considered, he was just a cog in the Autobot machine, and Ultra Magnus had the final say in the matter.

 

‘Allow me to introduce who I have with me.’ Ultra Magnus said as Optimus and Bumblebee joined him. ‘Perceptor and Wheeljack, Cybertron's greatest scientific minds, they're here to verify if your claims are correct.’

 

‘Pleased to meet ya, Optimus Prime.’ Wheeljack said very casually.

 

Perceptor said nothing, remaining very quiet and uptight, and something about that made Bumblebee uneasy.

 

‘Nice place by the way, cosy.’ Wheeljack commented, nodding his helm slightly at the TV area.

 

Bumblebee was going to thank his compliment, but pedesteps thundered towards him, Grimlock, in his Cybertronian form, pulled Bumblebee into a deathgrip of a hug, running to the other side of the base with him in his arms, back towards Swoop and Snarl guarding the medbay.

 

‘Bee's back!’ He roared in delight, swinging a petrified Bumblebee around, the other Dinobots quickly crowding around their leader. ‘Hunt good!?’

 

Bumblebee struggled in vain. ‘Put me down, dumbot!’

 

Wheeljack optics widened. ‘And who're _these_ bots?’ He gasped, making a straight line towards the Dinobots, too fascinated by them to notice Bumblebee demanding help.

 

‘Grimlock, put Bumblebee down.’ Prowl ordered casually, a few moments after he had entered the base.

 

Grimlock dropped him like a stone. ‘Ok!’ He said, watching Bumblebee scuttle away to Optimus' side.

 

‘They're amazin'.’ Wheeljack gushed. ‘Oh this- Percy look at this, this' beautiful.’ He said to Perceptor, pointing towards the work of art that was Snarl's faceplate.

 

Perceptor still said nothing, his attention focused only upon the medbay door.

 

Grimlock puffed his chest up in pride, moving away from Bumblebee and closer to Wheeljack, moving his faceplate in front of Wheeljack's pointing digit. ‘Me Grimlock, most beautiful.’ He said in a very deliberate manner.

 

Wheejack looked towards Prowl, a smile visible in his optics. ‘I know ya guys said the Allspark made a few bots on this mudball, I wasn't thinkin' they'd be this grand!’ He complimented, laughing shortly when Snarl curiously sniffed his servo.

 

Perceptor finally spoke up. ‘We have been distracted long enough.’ He said with a voice so devoid of character and tone, so like a basic Earth computer, that it caught most of the Autobots off guard, except for Ratchet. ‘Analysis of the Insecticons must commence.’

 

Even Wheeljack seemed put off, standing straight and leaving the Dinobots alone. ‘Right.’ He said with a slightly reluctant tone. ‘Could ya bring the new one in as well?’

 

Optimus nodded. ‘Of course.’

 

_~~_

 

While Perceptor and Wheeljack were in the medbay with Hardshell and Kickback, the rest of them remained in the main room, trying hard to ignore the vibrations and snarls coming from the medbay, Optimus and Ratchet explained everything that happened so far to Ultra Magnus and Sentinel, the Magnus didn't seem very shocked or worried at the news of the Insecticon resurrection, Sentinel however, was very uncomfortable, not knowing whether to be disgusted with the news, or with the fact he had to come back to Earth to hear it.

 

‘Medical officer Ratchet.’ Ultra Magnus addressed when he had finished speaking. ‘Are you suggesting that the Decepticons have revived their Insecticon experiment?’

 

‘Maybe.’ Ratchet answered with genuine doubt in his tone. ‘There's a lot of things that don't smell right with this, questions that need to be answered, why here on Earth? And why set them loose? In any case, something has to be done about them, they've caused quite some damage so far, and despite some intelligence, they have as much processing power as Sentinel’s chin.’

 

Sentinel visibly clenched every piston in his frame, Jazz nudged him, giving him a friendly reminder not to lose it.

 

‘(And that's got more processing power than-)‘

 

Bulkhead carefully nudged Optimus, giving him a friendly reminder to not make it worse.

 

Wheeljack and Perceptor left the medbay, the sounds of Hardshell's latest fit of rage echoed out after them. ‘Analysis complete.’ Perceptor stated. ‘The specimens show defining Insecticon features, however signs of unusual development are present, further analysis is required.’

 

‘What does that mean?’ Bumblebee asked, a little too harshly.

 

‘That is none of your business, repairbot!’ Sentinel barked harshly, making Bee shrink in his plating.

 

‘ _Sentinel._ ’ Ultra Magnus called loudly in warning.

 

Little beads of coolant formed on Sentinel's helm. ‘I mean, that is not information required by your rank, soldier.’ He clarified in the politest voice he could muster, his optics darted back to Ultra Magnus, looking for approval, the Magnus gave one solemn nod to him, he then vented in relief before shaping up again. ‘Send the bugs to Cybertron for further analysis.’ He ordered, then paused, scratching his enormous chin at the sound of Hardshell raging in the background. ‘Actually scratch that, we should get a proper security and containment team to move the beasts.’

 

Bumblebee clenched his servos.

 

‘A wise decision Sentinel.’ Ultra Magnus said. ‘We also must prepare appropriate containment for them.’

 

‘I thought you would say that.’ Ratchet suddenly argued out of nowhere, his faceplate bold in front of his superiors. ‘I-’

 

‘I already know your concern, medical officer Ratchet.’ Ultra Magnus interrupted fluently, eager to put a stop to him before his complaint began. ‘But the Insecticons must be studied if we are to create a secure environment for them, and for any others that may come online.’ He went to address Optimus, not waiting to see if Ratchet was satisfied with his answer. ‘For now there is not much your team can do, Optimus prime, except observe the situation and contain any more incidents, we will send help and supplies when you request them, but rest assured, should it be proved that the Decepticons are once again reviving their old program then we will take control.’

 

‘Would it be possible for us to have some learning material on Insecticons?’ Optimus asked.

 

Sentinel minced his lipplates. ‘Of course Optimus, what would you like? Insecticon Park? Or Sparkling's First Book of Natural History?’ He said sarcastically. ‘These things have been extinct for millennia Optimus, it would take more time for the science division to make a datapad, then it would for you to use your optics and take some notes.’

 

‘On the contrary Sentinel.’ Ultra Magnus disagreed. ‘There are many aspects of Insecticon nature that Optimus Prime and his team must be briefed in if they are to contain them, aspects that we already have on file.’

 

‘Yeah, we've still got ol' Brightsparks science publications on file in the Iacon Database.’ Wheeljack added. ‘I'll compile the important points and send 'em over when I get back to Cybertron.’

 

「Kid.」

 

Bumblebee jolted to attention, only just realising how tense he was, the message surprised him just so enough for the pressure to quickly escape his powerlines, Bumblebee turned his helm to face Ratchet, the sender of the message, he stared back with a firm expression, he looked briefly towards the discussion Optimus was having with the Elite Guard, then towards the medbay and the angry Insecticons inside it, then back to Bumblebee, his expression softened slightly.

 

「Let's go somewhere else.」

 

Bumblebee followed Ratchet deeper into the base until they were out of audial range of the others, Ratchet looked behind them once to see if anyone followed then let out a long slow vent. ‘Well kid, why don't you say what's on your processor.’ He said, surprisingly gently. ‘Because you looked just about ready to blow a gasket back there.’

 

Bumblebee stood in very uncomfortable silence, digits picking at each other, despite this being the best moment to say his peace, he still held back. ‘I... I think- you know what I think Ratchet.’ He let out, hoping that Ratchet, the only other bot to think their fate was too much, would understand. ‘I know they're not the best, I mean, Hardshell tried to bite me, Kickback bit Bulkhead, b-but they're gonna-’

 

‘Get shipped off and locked up?’ Ratchet finished for him. ‘Kid...’ He sighed, gathering strength to talk to Bumblebee. ‘Look, I know, they're not as dumb as they look, I admit they're better speakers than what I remember, but that doesn't give them a free pass, they've done damage, and you know what else talks, was made on Earth and made complete fools out of us? The Constructicons.’

 

Ratchet did raise a fair point with the Constructions, two Earth forged Cybertronians, were originally found by the Autobots, and in the brief time they had been neutral they trashed the base, and then pledged allegiance to Megatron faster than it took for cement to dry, two perfect examples for Ratchet's case, that not everyone who could think for themselves had the best intentions. But Bumblebee disagreed, Shockwave, Hardshell... none of them had complete control over their actions, Shockwave especially, he didn't want to be affected as he was, none of them did, but what good would locking them up do?

 

Bumblebee's digits collided as he thought. ‘Those guys got manipulated by Megatron though.’ Bumblebee eventually said back, using one servo to rub at the opposite arm. ‘B-but that's not my point, I dunno- I just feel like we're treating them-’

 

‘Like Scraplets?’ Prowl interrupted, walking up to Bumblebee from behind.

 

‘Not exactly the words I'd use, but then again, I don't go around butting into private conversations.’ Ratchet grumbled, making a calm shooing motion towards Prowl.

 

Bumblebee moved closer to Ratchet, distancing himself from Prowl, his motherboard heating up several degrees.

 

Prowl ignored Ratchet's gesture. ‘Does it matter? We all agree they are dangerous, why is it so bad to contain them?’

 

‘Am I the only bot here who thinks it's horrible that we're gonna do that to them!?’ Bumblebee snapped, distancing himself from Prowl and Ratchet. ‘They're not pests, they have feelings, it's- it doesn't feel right!’

 

Prowl frowned. ‘So the one we caught earlier _consciously_ tried to consume Bulkhead and I? Bumblebee, think for once about what you're saying, you're being irrational.’

 

‘He couldn't control himself! We should at least try to understand them.’ Bee negotiated desperately, looking between Prowl and his condescending stance, and Ratchet, with his apathetic gaze. ‘Give them a chance!’

 

Prowl crossed his arms and huffed. ‘"A chance"? Are you joking right now, Bumblebee? You've heard that thing raging for-’

 

‘ _Hardshell!_ ’ Bumbebee yelled. ‘His name is Hardshell, he's not a _thing_ , or an _it_!’ His servos shook as he ranted, staring at Prowl with all the negativity in the world, heat warnings appearing on his HUD. ‘He doesn't know where he is, and his dumb bug brain thinks every single light in the medbay is something that's out to kill him, and we're going to pack him up and send him to a lab and- a- and.’ He struggled.

 

Ratchet was at his side in an instant, acting as a barrier between him and Prowl. ‘Kid, _vent._ ’ He urged worriedly.

 

‘And you don't care!’ Bumblebee yelled at Prowl, trying to push past Ratchet, tears forming in the corner of his optics. ‘You're the one who's supposed to be all sorry for them! I- I don't get it, you did it for the Dinobots but- bu-’

 

Prowl only stared at him, but his lips trembled slightly, like he wanted to say something, but he said nothing, and, finally unable to stand him and his continued apathy any longer, Bumblebee ran away. He stormed through the base, ignoring Optimus and Bulkhead's worried calls, or Sentinel's order to stop, the moment he was clear of the entrance, he transformed and sped off into the night.

 

 

* * *

 

 

30 cycles later, after he had drove nonstop around the city at reckless speeds, Bumblebee's anger finally started to escape him, the emotion dying down, emptying out of his processor until all that was left was one terrible thought, and the sickening feeling that came with it.

 

He threw a complete strop, not just in front of Ratchet, but in front of Prowl and the Elite Guard.

 

Oh Primus, he even ignored an order from Sentinel.

 

Talking back was the one thing he told himself not to do, and he did it, he invited everything bad that could happen right into his life, it wasn't just his badge on the line now, if they so even suspected his motives, Shockwave would be at risk.

 

“ _I'm such an idiot!_ ” He screeched inside his own processor. “ _Stupid, stupid **stupid!**_ ”

 

It started to rain.

 

There wasn't anything he could do right now, Sentinel would rip his badge off the moment he went back to the base, all he could do was wait and see what would happen, and get out of this rain before it gave him a rust infection. Bumblebee weighed his options, he could spend the night at Sumdac Towers, he was always welcome there, but the spacebridge back to Cybertron was literally right on top of the building, he didn't want to risk confronting the Elite Guard or Optimus, at least until he managed to get a decent apology together.

 

Staying with Shockwave wasn't an option either, not just because the others would be onto him now, but he promised he wouldn't go to Shockwave's place at night, that was the only Autobot-free haven he had, with the only neutral friend he had, he didn't want to risk losing that so soon. Besides, this wasn't an emergency, he thought to himself as he slowed down, and as he quietly parked himself into a semi sheltered parking spot and turned off his lights he tried to comfort his anxious spark, he'd be ok, his joints would be wet and chilly in the morning, he'd be miserable, but he'd survive.

 

It wasn't like this was the first time he screwed up.

 

_~~_

 

He found him.

 

The smell was faint in the wet, but he found him.

 

He brushed his side gently, to awaken.

 

Tried again, not liking his cold.

 

Still resting?

 

Outside was no good, needed inside, needed hive.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Bumblebee booted up feeling absolutely rested, like if the concept of having a good recharge had a physical form, it would be him in this very moment, with no cold or wet joints, feeling warm and soft, the content filling to a comfy sandwi-

 

Wait...

 

Why wasn't he in his alt-mode?

 

Why was he _comfortable_?

 

He opened his optics to find himself curled up in darkness, underneath something very heavy, and very soft, he slowly wriggled his way out of the thing he was under, his sensors buzzing from how strange it was that everything he was touching was _soft_. Eventually his helm popped free and saw that he was in Shockwave's home, specifically in Shockwave's nest.

 

And he was wedged between Shockwave and the giant plushie.

 

Shockwave was still recharging, nestled on top of Bumblebee in his insect-mode, wings fluttering softly as he slept, the sun had risen, filtering faintly through the dirty windows and onto the two of them, shimmering with the dust drifting off Shockwave's wings. It would have been something out of a fantasy film, it Bumblebee's processor didn't ruin it from trying to calculate how he got from last night to now, he went to recharge under an awning, at night, and Shockwave not only found him, he picked him up, moved him all the way back to his home, and got him to change into robot-mode, all without him booting up, _at night_.

 

Did he mention it was also at night? That was a pretty important point.

 

Shockwave stirred, slowly booting up, his antenna moved, then he suddenly was still, he lifted himself partially off of Bumblebee, looking down at him, optic slowly widening in shock as he realised the strange thing he was recharging on was his friend.

 

‘What are you- how did you get here here?’ Shockwave squawked, transforming into his Cybertronian form and exiting the nest in shock, absolutely confused, partially insulted.

 

Bumblebee puffed his faceplate, almost equally as insulted. ‘What do you mean how did I get here? You brought me here!’

 

Shockwave took a moment to think, squinting to himself, audials wiggling. ‘I brought you here here?’ He said, mostly to himself, trying hard to recall the details of last night.

 

Bumblebee's mood softened when he saw that Shockwave was being genuine. ‘You don't remember?’ He stood up. ‘Well, thanks anyway, for taking me in last night.’ He flopped onto a nearby beanbag. ‘Even if you don't remember it.’

 

Shockwave was still in deep thought, until what Bumblebee said finally registered in his processor. ‘Taking you in in?’ He moved closer. ‘Did something happen?’

 

Bumblebee shuffled uncomfortably, he didn't want to offload what happened back at the base to Shockwave, so he stayed silent and slouched, he had several messages sent to him from the others, but he didn't want to read them either, it was still too soon, he didn't want to think about what he-

 

Shockwave picked him up.

 

‘Wh- hey!’ Bee squeaked, flailing a little as Shockwave took the two of them back into the nest.

 

‘Shh shh.’ He said, putting Bumblebee between himself and the plushie again, offlining his optic. ‘Whatever it was, it can wait wait, let's rest.’

 

Bee opened and closed his intake several times before giving up on trying to say anything, he offlined his optics as well and soaked in the familiar comfort, Shockwave was right, it could wait. As he drifted off, he realised why it was familiar, when he was sparkling, he and the other Minibots of his batch would recharge together when they were upset, it was something only Minibots did, everyone else back at bootcamp didn't...

 

Maybe they weren't so different after all.

 

_~~_

 

Several hours later, Bumblebee's processor finally had enough and booted him out of his nap. ‘Mmnh...’ He noised, stretching out his joints, he onlined his optics, blinking once, then twice, taking his time to boot.

 

Shockwave booted up too, pulling a mighty stretch, then moved so that Bumblebee could get up, then sat back down again so the nest was his again. ‘Better ter?’ He asked.

 

‘Yeah.’ He grumbled softly, sitting back on the beanbag, the blissful ignorance of his nap quickly dissipating. ‘Not 100%, but yeah.’

 

Shockwave curled back up, then lifted his helm towards Bee, audials drooping slightly. ‘What happened pened?’ He asked again.

 

‘Bumblebee slouched on a beanbag, rubbing at his optics, then yawned. ‘It's... so- I dunno.’ He mumbled, cradling his helm in one servo. ‘I got into an argument with the team last night.’ He finally admitted. ‘I don't really wanna talk about it, it... it was a bad argument, I might be in trouble, but I'll be ok, don't worry about me.’

 

‘Oh oh.’ Shockwave noised, he raised his helm back up and away, he didn't ask anything more.

 

Time passed, and Bumblebee wanted to cut the silence. ‘Shockwave? Can you promise me something?’ He asked, not making optic contact.

 

‘What is it it?’

 

‘Please be careful.’ He said, trying to sound unemotional. ‘There's- I don't want to see you in trouble, I know you can't really help it at night, but- I dunno.’ He shook his helm slightly. ‘Maybe if I ask now, it'll stick.’

 

Shockwave tilted his helm to the side, not completely understanding what he meant. ‘You talk funny ny.’ He laughed gently. ‘I promise.’

 

Bumblebee put up a tired smile. ‘Yeah, I do.’ He mumbled, nodding as went. ‘And thanks.’

 

Bumblebee checked his chronometer, it was still morning, and it was still a while before Sari would get up, then he noticed the amount of messages he had increased, stilling his spark, he cautiously opened them, first the ones from Bulkhead, those were usually the softest.

Bulkhead  
**Yestercycle** 7-123 You ok? What happened? **Yestercycle** 8-003 Prowl is super mad. He just broke something in his room. **Yestercycle** 8-012 Just talked with Bossbot, you can come back. It's cool. **Today** 3-104 Bee you're in trouble, message me. They’re looking for you.

Bumblebee furrowed his optical ridges, that was weird, he quickly switched from Bulkhead's messages to Optimus'.

Optimus Prime  
**Yestercycle** 7-152 Please come back to the base, don't worry about Sentinel, I've sorted him out, let's have another talk. **Today** 0-003 Where are you? Bumblebee contact me immediately, that's an order. **Today** 2-087 Bumblebee, turn your tracker online and come back to base right now. If you don't comply in the next mega-cycle we'll have to start a search, Magnus' orders. **Today** 3-87 Searching now, please stop making this difficult and contact me.

Bumblebee was shaking now, _something else happened last night._

 

‘Bee Bee?’

 

‘I-I have to go.’ Was all that Bumblebee said, bolting from the base.

 

Spark hammering in his chestplates, Bumblebee stumbled out of the warehouse, he turned on his comm, he wanted to message Bulkhead, like he asked but fear drove him to talk to Optimus first.

 

‘B-bossbot?’ He asked timidly, taking brisk steps away from the warehouse, trying to stop his plating from rattling.

 

‘Bumblebee, come back to base right now.’ Optimus said, he sounded slightly relieved. ‘Where were you?’

 

‘I only just got up, what happened?’ He deflected, internally he was panicking, hoping Optimus didn't press further.

 

‘The large Insecticon escaped.’ Optimus stated, this time with no kindness in his voice. ‘And you're accused of helping it.’

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hokay *goes to a whiteboard with a marker* there's 24 hours in a day, and it's 2.6 hours to a mega-cycle, that's 9.23 mega-cycles to a standard Earth day, you guys following? A cycle is exactly a minute, so it's 156 cycles to a mega-cycle, that's 9 megas and 36 not megas to a day, 5 light megas, 4 dark megas, and 36 cycles of limbo time, you guys still following? Because what I'm basically saying is I spent another 2 hours, not proofreading, not editing, but struggling to do maths, to invent an alien timescale, so I could make an alien timestamp, on a text message, instead of using the usual AM PM 10:22 on a Sunday format 100% of the world knows, because they're aliens.
> 
> Also because I'm mad.


	5. Do It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, this chapter drops off real fucking fast because I might have had a breakdown, might have punched my boss and got fired, then scraped together a new job, might have gotten some sudden depression and self loathing, then got addicted to Minecraft and regained the energy to create. By the time I came back I forgot what the fuck I wanted to do with the chapter and winged it from there on out. 
> 
> Bone appetite.

 

 

Bumblebee couldn't hear anything but his sparkbeat while he approached the Autobot base, he didn't do it, he absolutely didn't do it, and he didn't even need an alibi or a witness to prove it, the security cameras would show that he ran away and didn't come back, even if that didn't explain how Hardshell managed to escape. He stalled by the base entrance, dreading what was waiting for him inside, but, knowing he had the evidence to prove him innocent waiting inside, he stepped inside, then his spark dropped to the lowest depths of the pit and he almost purged there on the spot.

 

The very first thing his optics laid sights on was the security station, completely broken to bits.

 

Sentinel, Optimus and Ratchet were waiting for him close to it, Ratchet was the first to notice him, piercing Bumblebee with a look so disapproving it could have put stasis cuffs on him and thrown him into the stockades if it had physical form.

 

But then Ratchet's expression softened, he closed his optics and shook his helm tiredly. ‘He didn't do it.’  Ratchet concluded.

 

‘That's not for you to decide.’ Sentinel retorted, taking deep strides towards Bumblebee. ‘Well then _repairbot_ , glad you could finally join us.’ He addressed Bumblebee, holding his servos on his hips and towering threating over Bumblebee. ‘You certainly took your time getting here, find any good hiding spots for the bug?’ He accused.

 

Bumblebee was shaking. ‘W-where's Magnus?’ He asked, knowing that, despite being the aloof ruler of Cybertron, he would be a million times more understanding than Sentinel would.

 

Sentinel looked annoyed. ‘That's not-’

 

‘He returned to Cybertron, with the scientists and the last Insecticon.’ Optimus interrupted, walking closer to ease Sentinel off. ‘Bumblebee, very early this morning the first Insecticon-’

 

‘Hardshell.’ Ratchet added.

 

‘ _Hardshell_.’ Optimus repeated with a little unease. ‘-Managed to break out of confinement, destroy the security console and escape before we could finish booting up.’

 

Sentinel crossed his arms and huffed, looking aside. ‘(It's bad enough I had to recharge on this mudball, thanks to that thing I barely got any at all.) He grumbled to himself.

 

Bumblebee couldn't help but agree and gawp at Optimus' words, no wonder they suspected foul play, it was a miracle Hardshell's bonds didn't break from his struggling, but early morning meant it was still dark outside, and he should have been exhausted, but apparently not so that he could break the security console and get away before the others could boot up and catch him.

 

‘I-’ Bumblebee started, but then realised that he had absolutely no evidence to back him up now that the console was destroyed, the only bot who could back up his alibi was... ‘I didn't do it.’ He said, looking to the ground. ‘I don't have any proof, but I didn't do it, honest!’

 

He knew he still had one avenue of proof, it was Shockwave, but he paled at the thought of exposing Shockwave just to spare himself.

 

‘Of course you don't!’ Sentinel snapped. ‘Because after you got all sorry for the ugly things, you decided to take pity and cut one loose, making you guilty!’

 

Optimus frowned in irritation. ‘That's not for you to decide either, Sentinel.’ He turned away from Sentinel and moved closer to Bumblebee, crouching slightly so they were on equal level. ‘But the circumstantial evidence is stacked against you Bumblebee, you're the only bot unaccounted for, so tell me the truth, did you return to the base last night? Where were you?’ He asked, and Bumblebee could see it in his optics, a small speck of his spark that wanted to believe Bumblebee was innocent.

 

‘Where else would I be? In the city! I didn't come back last night-cycle, I swear!’ Bumblebee pleaded, holding his servos together in a begging motion.

 

He expected Sentinel to not believe him, but the way Optimus looked at him, standing back up with a tired aura, it washed a bad feeling over his motherboard.

 

‘Well kid, can you think of any way to prove it?’ Ratchet asked softly.

 

He hung his whole body low. ‘I don't.’ He lied. ‘Wait- didn't the Dinobots see anything?!’ He suddenly demanded, gaining a second wind when the thought dawned on his processor, they were stationed outside the medbay, their stone-age processors had to have seen something.

 

Sentinel huffed in amusement, leaning over Bumblebee. ‘Those things? Wheeljack decided to take them in his room for the night-cycle, useless things, and useless to save your sorry skidplates.’

 

That struck a sensor. ‘Stop treating me like I’m guilty! I didn't do it you... you- _you Chincel!_ ’ Bumblebee shouted back, before covering his intake, realising exactly what he said and to whom.

 

‘WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!?’ Sentinel roared, then quickly leaned to Optimus. ‘(S-seriously what did he call me? Is that an Earth term?)

 

‘That's enough!’ Optimus barked, disliking how immature the conversation turned. ‘Bumblebee, I'm sorry, but you've been charged with releasing a dangerous individual, resulting in endangerment of your team, the Elite Guard... and the Magnus, you'll be confined in your room until your court date is settled.’ He explained.

 

Bumblebee gasped, he pleaded at Optimus with his optics, willing his processor to try and come up with something, anything to convince them that this was too much, until he realised that a trial and being confined in his room was the most that Optimus could get for him, Sentinel would have been dragging him straight to the stockades if he got his way.

 

‘Yes sir.’ He mumbled, keeping his helm low as he took the walk of shame towards his room.

 

Sentinel let out a short vent of satisfaction the moment Bumblebee was out of sight. ‘I trust you'll keep things in order here Optimus.’ He said, making his way to the base's entrance. ‘It's high time I returned to Cybertron (and I swear, if Jazz insists on staying here I’ll...)’ He complained to himself, until he was finally out of audial range.

 

‘Lock his door Ratchet.’ Optimus ordered with difficulty.

 

Ratchet merely looked at Optimus, not moving. ‘He didn't do it Prime.’ He sighed. ‘I knew from the start and I knew the moment I saw his faceplate that-’

 

‘I know Ratchet, I know...’

 

Ratchet walked over to Bumblebee's door, opening the lock panel. ‘The way that thing was thrashing around, it was bound to happen.’

 

‘I know.’ Optimus repeated, looking sullenly at the broken security console. ‘But we don't have any proof.’

 

 

* * *

 

 

‘Bee? BEE! Are you here?!’ Sari shouted, running into the warehouse.

 

 ‘Sari Sari.’ Shockwave greeted, his audials drooped slightly when he saw the fear in her face too. ‘What happened pened?’

 

‘Shockwave, was Bumblebee here last night?’ Sari asked again, very fearfully.

 

Shockwave nodded slowly. ‘He was, but gone now now.’

 

‘Oh no.’ She worried, putting her palms to her face and pacing away. ‘Oh no no no....’ She noticed how intently Shockwave was looking at her, silently wanting an explanation.

 

‘What happened?!’ He asked again, verging on a demand.

 

She picked her words carefully, putting hands back into neutral by her sides. ‘He's been accused of letting a bad guy escape.’ She answered. ‘And if he's been with you... there's no way we can prove he didn't do it.’

 

‘Why?’ He pressed further, then when she was silent his audials tilted backwards, his optic slitting by a few pixels. ‘I don't understand stand.’ He waited for her answer, but Sari struggled to find more words, he had enough, hissing with annoyance and turning his helm away. ‘What proof proof does he need?’ He grumbled.

 

She let out a defeated sigh, the tension in her body escaping. ‘I'm sorry Shockwave, it's nothing to do with you personally, it's just the only thing that'll help him is CCTV, that's... uh, it's kind of a-’

 

Shockwave turned his helm back round. ‘So it _is_ something about me, isn't it it?’ Her flinch was all the confirmation he needed. ‘I'm not stupid Sari Sari.’ He said, bending forwards so his helm was closer to her. ‘Wouldn't he just need me to say I was with him as proof proof?’

 

Sari backed up away from his helm. ‘I'm sorry, Shockwave I-’

 

‘ _Why?_ ’

 

She closed her eyes. ‘It's because you're an Insecticon.’ She explained softly, rubbing the elbow of one arm in discomfort, avoiding optic contact. ‘Insecticons have... well... they've been causing a lot of trouble recently an-’

 

‘Was the "bad guy" who escaped an Insecticon con?’

 

Sari flinched again, Shockwave was... he was clever, but that wasn't what was scaring her right now, it was what Shockwave's reaction would be if she told him the blunt truth about the situation, but she looked back at him, determined not to let bad Energon get between them. ‘He was, but that doesn't mean you're a bad guy, I mean- you kind of did give us the fright of our lives when we met- no wait, never mind that,

 

the bottom line is the Insecticon Bee was accused of helping was a really bad guy, he hurt people, he's the reason Insecticons have a bad rep, and our boss is a complete jerk and doesn't wanna hear anything about how nice you guys can be either! And that's the real reason why we can't prove Bee didn't do it, Sentinel'll take one look at you and think you're just a friend of the bad Insecticon, so we have to find another way to help.’

 

Shockwave was silent throughout all this, but he was thinking, you could tell by the way his audials moved millimetres at a time, going over the new information, he looked up to one of the broken windows, seeing the bright midday sunlight streaming through, before coming to a conclusion.

 

‘I will save him him.’ Was all that he said as he transformed, vibrating his wings in anticipation of taking off.

 

Sari gasped almost completely out of her skin. ‘Whoa, wait- Shockwave!” She yipped, gawking as he scurried out of the window and into the city. ‘Shockwave no!’

 

She had no choice but to spread her winglets and fly after him.

 

_~~_

 

‘Shockwave I'm serious, this is a bad idea! You don't even know where he is!’ Sari yelled as she flew circles around Shockwave.

 

‘I do, he's this way way.’

 

‘And how do you even know _that?!_ ’ She shrieked, well, they were going the right direction, just not the right way about getting Bumblebee out of trouble without making them all outlaws.

 

Shockwave started slowing down, eventually touching back down on the ground, still in Old Detroit. ‘Can't you smell smell?’ He asked in bewilderment. ‘Are you sick sick?’

 

Sari was about to flip, he only stopped because of that?! ‘Who cares if you can smell him 5 miles away and I can't! We can't just barge in the base and bust Bumblebee out, Sentinel'll think he's guilty for sure, we'll be fugitives! We need to think about this!’

 

Shockwave's antennae flittered again, seriously considering her pleas in full and thinking of alternatives. ‘CCTVv.’ He suddenly said. ‘You said that would prove it it.’

 

‘Y-yeah.’ Sari replied, not as hopeful about it as Shockwave was. ‘That's uh, that's kind of like... it’s like a recording of a place.’ She explained as best as she could, a huge effort considering Shockwave wouldn't know concepts like videos or camera, and that she had no idea how to teach. ‘It's uh- like a- a... uh...’

 

‘A recording, if we get a recording of Bee somewhere safe safe... it will prove he wasn't at the crime scene.’ Shockwave interrupted, his audials tilted backwards as a genius thought rendered in his processor. ‘Or a recording of something that looks like Bee Bee...’

 

A lightning strike of hope bolted Sari to attention. ‘ _I know just the thing._ ’

 

_~~_

 

‘Here are your doughnuts sir that'll be $3.50.’ The bakery assistant said, putting the amount of doughnuts you could get for $3.50 into a bag.

 

Captain Fanzone took out his wallet. ‘You got change for a ten?’

 

‘Oh don't worry about it sir, we've got that new contactless.’ The assistant pushed the card reader forwards. ‘You can just tap your card.’

 

He literally tapped it with the side of the card, naturally nothing happened.

 

‘Maybe hold the chip bit closer to the reader?’ The assistant suggested.

 

Fanzone grumbled, holding the chip closer, but still literally tapping it.

 

Sweat began trickling down the assistant's forehead. ‘J-just hold the chip part close to the reader, please?’

 

He finally did it right, only for the machine to beep and tell him to insert his card, he slammed his fist on the counter, card clattering to the side of it, he moved to pick it up again. ‘This is why I hate-’

 

A dark shadow quickly swooped over the front of the shop, eclipsing them for a moment, accompanied by the sound of metal hitting metal, a cacophony of audible horror, Fanzone dropped his card, then calmly turned around to see what happened.

 

‘...Where's my car?’

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was getting late into the afternoon, the base eerily quiet after so many mega-cycles of hearing noise from the medbay, and while Optimus certainly didn't miss it, he did want the awful mood to lift from the air. He had tried to ask the police if they had seen Bumblebee last night in the city, but they were too busy with their own investigation, something about vandalism on police property, he would have to try them again later.

 

The ring of the communication station brought Optimus back into realtime, he went over to it and answered, Sentinel’s smug face on the monitor.

 

‘Court date's been set~’ He said with a voice that was poorly trying to hide how eager he was.

 

‘Already?’ Optimus said reactively.

 

Sentinel leaned backwards with pride. ‘Of course, you could get a lot of things done quickly Optimus, that is... if you had the hero programming that I do, in any case the-’

 

‘OPTIMUS!’ Yelled Sari as she jetted into the base. ‘OP! I GOT IT!’

 

‘Got what?’ Optimus and Sentinel said, each with polar opposite tones to the other.

 

‘Proof Bumblebee didn't do it!’ She claimed, producing a USB stick from her subspace. ‘Right here!’

 

While Optimus was a mixture of bewilderment and relief, Sentinel was a beacon of incomprehension, as if his processor had gone on strike at the mere suggestion that he could possibly be wrong. ‘What? Some little fleshstick?’ He insulted, trying to regain composure. ‘What could that possibly prove? Who even told you organics about this case!? That is classified information!’

 

Sari crossed her arms, insulted. ‘Excuse you, I am an Autobot, and Bumblebee is my friend so I have a right to know about-’

 

Sentinel suddenly smiled. ‘Aha! So you've just admitted that you have a bias for the accused? Why should I even-’ He hesitated when he saw Optimus helping Sari onto the computer so she could plug her USB in. ‘Optimus don't you dare be an accessory in this!’ He yelled.

 

Optimus didn't reply, instead letting Sari upload her evidence onto the computer, he recognised it as CCTV footage of a parking lot, the video silently played a scene of Bumblebee in his altmode, entering a reserved parking garage of Sumdac Tower and parking awkwardly near the back, scraping the side of a car before parking properly and powering down, water dripping off his frame as he had come out of the rain. The datestamp on the video confirmed it, if Optimus' translation of Human time was right, this was mere cycles before the breakout happened. Bumblebee wouldn't have had time to drive from Sumdac Tower to the base in time to do the deed.

 

Optimus messaged the others to come out and marvel at the amazing proof that they needed, all the while Sentinel sat on the other side of the monitor on Cybertron, steam escaping from the gaps between his helm and his audials.

 

‘You see?’ Sari said triumphantly after playing the footage again for the others, nobody noticing her slight shake. ‘How could Bumblebee commit a crime that he was miles away from? I think it's safe to say this case is closed.’

 

‘Then why didn't he say he went to Sumdac Towers from the beginning?’

 

Sari froze in shock at Ratchet's words, _shit_ , she didn't even think about that, but she would be dammed if she didn't think up a good excuse. ‘B-because we only just installed the camera a few days back to find out who kept breaking into Dad's private garage, Bee totally didn't know anything about it, _totally_.’ She suggested, using her sheer will to stop her organic cells from nervously sweating herself into a dried husk.

 

‘Ok, so we charge him with breaking and entering, trespass and criminal damage! Y-you've proved nothing!’ Sentinel barked.

 

‘Except those charges would go to a Human court of law, not a Cybertronian one.’ Optimus said, he then started typing a long ranged message. ‘I'll send this evidence over to the Magnus, I think he'll be pleased to know that a member of my team was not responsible for what happened last night-cycle.’ His servo hovered over the end call button. ‘Maybe you can use your hero programming to-’

 

Sentinel shut the communication down before he could finish.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Bumblebee laid on his berth, he'd been there for the past few mega-cycles, half cooked thoughts drifting around his motherboard. Of all the things he messed up, of everything he didn't do good enough, the thing going to end his runtime as an Autobot was something he didn't even do.

 

Being stripped of his badge wouldn't be the worst that could happen to him, endangerment of the Magnus was no joke, if the charge stuck it would be punishable by life in the stockades... or termination. Hopelessness soon boiled into anger, how could they do this to him? How could _Sentinel_ do this to him!?

 

‘That stupid, no good chin bastard!’ Bumblebee snarled, letting the Earth insult out and sitting up like a mousetrap, slapping his servos down on his berth. ‘I bet he's the one who said I did it!’ He threw himself off the berth, stamping circles around his room. ‘Dirty scraphead! Magnus suck-up! When I get out I'll rip off his-’ He paused, seeing how angry he was in his own mirror. ‘Yeah... maybe making threats isn't such as good idea.’ He vented, collapsing back on his berth.

 

He wasn't in the mood to do anything, feeling sick in his tanks, more poorly rendered thoughts flooding his CPU, a trial of circumstantial evidence was going to be long and awful for everyone involved, what if they brought out character witnesses? There was only so much Bulkhead could defend him for, Prowl wouldn't hesitate in listing all his flaws, Ironhide from his boot camp batch would have plenty of negative things to say about him.

 

Then there was...

 

‘Longarm...’

 

Suddenly, the magnetic lock on his door clicked open, Ratchet on the other side.

 

‘You're free to go kid.’

 

_~~_

 

Bumblebee wobbled outside of the base in a surprised daze, it didn't feel real, having been thrown into a fire then pulled out in a single solar-cycle gave his processor a mean case of whiplash, but he was free and he was innocent, no more questions asked, and he just wanted to forget the entirety of the last two solar-cycles.

 

Sari was waiting for him, a slightly too clever smile on her face.

 

‘What did you do?’

 

Her smile stayed in place. ‘I might have broken a few dozen laws and forged evidence? But who cares, Shocky's waiting for you, we should go see him before it gets dark.’

 

Bumblebee lifted his helm slightly at those words. ‘He is?’ He asked, before transforming.

 

‘Absolutely.’ She said as she hopped inside.

 

Bumblebee drove down the roads cautiously, not wanting to go so fast while his emotions and his frame were so out of sync, he and Sari travelled in silence, until she decided to speak up.

 

‘Bee? Shockwave's smart, but weird smart.’

 

‘What?’

 

‘Like, the whole forged evidence thing was his idea, I barely even told him what CCTV was before he came up with it.’ She explained, sounding slightly unnerved by it

 

‘I don't see a problem.’ Bee verbally shrugged. ‘Most Allspark bots are weird, like that junk guy.’

 

Sari's expression changed slightly, softening. ‘Yeah, I guess you're right, but we gotta be careful with what we tell him, he almost got the impression that we think he's a bad guy.’

 

Bumblebee thought about it for a moment. ‘Well if he's so smart, he'll know he's a good guy.’

 

‘I don't think it works like that Bee.’

 

 

* * *

 

 

‘I just don't get it chief.’ One of the policemen surrounding Fanzone said in defeat. ‘Who would steal your car just to repair it, paint it like that Autobot, wash it, then give it back?’

 

‘Should I dust the wheel for prints?’

 

‘What charge should I add, impersonation of a police officer or vandalism? Both?’

 

‘Who described our prime suspects as "Mothra" and "Metabee", is that like a joke or one of those supervillain things?’

 

‘Definitely supervillain, I bet the little ginger one's their leader.’

 

Fanzone stared at his car with an expression that words couldn't describe. ‘Boys, I think this might be a classic case of "nevermind all that."’

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Goes to bed and sleeps for 100 years.*

**Author's Note:**

> Btw, I have a Tumblr now, so you can get all my terrible ideas fresh from the fountain source.
> 
> https://ayy-junipei.tumblr.com/


End file.
